Tritone Substitution

m.j.mermikides@surrey.ac.uk

Taking another look at the guide tones in the ii-V-I progression, we notice that the 3rd and 7th of the
dominant chord form a tritone interval.

{
Motion of 'guide' tones (3rd and 7th)
D‹7
G7 CŒ„Š7
w w w
3rd 7th
& w
3rd
w w
7th 3rd 7th
? w w Root
w
Root Root

Since the tritone interval may be inverted. This implies that a dominant chord a tritone away

{
may be substituted with the guide tones maintained (with an enharmonic adjustment).
D‹7 D¨7 CŒ„Š7
w bw w
3rd 3rd

& w w
3rd
w
7th 7th (B-nat = Cflat) 7th
? w bw w
Root Root Root

Notice that the tritone substitution dominant chord now resolves down a semitone rather than a 5th,
When a 'sub V' resolves down a semitone, let's analyse it with a dashed arrow. Similarly, a min7 or
min7(b5) chord going down a semitone to a dominant chord gets a dashed bracket.

IIm7 subV7 Imaj7

CŒ„Š7

& V V V V V V V V
D‹7 D¨7

SubVs may be preceded by min7 chords a 5th above

subV7 Imaj7

& V V V V V V V V
A¨‹7 D¨7 CŒ„Š7

Tritone subs often have 9ths and /or #11 intervals added. The latter sometimes written as b5.
2 And occasionally standard dominants may be preceded by min7 (or min7b5) chords a semitone above.

V7 Imaj7

And substitute secondary dominants may also exist

& V V V V V V V V
A¨‹7(b5) G7 CŒ„Š7

And substitute secondary dominants may also exist, with related IIs of both types.

Imaj7 subV7/IV IVmaj7

subV7/II

& V V V V V V V V
CŒ„Š7 D¨‹7(b5) G¨9(#11) FŒ„Š7 E‹7(b5) E¨9

IIm7 subV7 Imaj7

D‹7 D¨9(#11) CŒ„Š7

& V V V V V V V V
Pick a key and write chord symbols for the following progression

Imaj7 subV7/II IIm7 subV7 Imaj7

& V V V V V V V V
Analyse in the key of F, the following progression and mark with symbols. It's a bit tricky...

A¨‹7 D¨9(#11) C7 A‹7 A¨7

& V V V V V V V V
FŒ„Š7

+
A¨7 F%

& V V V V V V V V
G‹7 G¨7(b5) FŒ„Š7 D¨7(#9) G¨7(#11)